Spear Technique, Scores

Spear Technique, Scores

The spear tip tore through the air, setting off a shrill whistle.

"So fast!"

"Li Yuan's spear." Most of the students held their breath as they watched. They all felt that Li Yuan's great spear was far too fast; in the blink of an eye, it had crossed several meters.

One had to know that Li Yuan and Teacher Xu Bo stood less than ten meters apart, while the great spear in Li Yuan's hands was nearly three meters long. Added to Li Yuan's explosive burst of speed... the spear tip pointed straight at Teacher Xu Bo's chest.

"Zhongping Spear?" Zhou Qi gripped his long spear tightly, recognizing Li Yuan's move.

Spear techniques came in endless variations, but the basic spear forms were nothing more than blocking, seizing, thrusting, stabbing, chopping, rebounding, striking, entangling, twisting, and the like. All spear arts evolved from these basic moves.

The Zhongping Spear could be called the most ordinary move in spear technique, yet it was also the most important.

What was meant by "zhongping" was a level, straight thrust, taking the shortest line between two points, its attack shooting forth like an arrow.

It tested accuracy, speed, and strength.

They were clearly the same move, but Brother Yuan's spear could probably stab me straight to death. Zhou Qi secretly clicked his tongue.

In the training ground.

"A straight thrust? Taking advantage of his weapon and strength?" Xu Bo saw through Li Yuan's intentions.

As the saying went: "A saber was like a fierce tiger, a sword like a swimming dragon; a staff swept a broad expanse, while a spear picked out a single line."

A staff was shorter than a great spear.

In such a direct clash, the great spear would inevitably arrive first. Moreover, Li Yuan's speed and strength far exceeded the speed and strength Xu Bo could unleash at Level 5.0.

Boom!

Facing Li Yuan's attack, Xu Bo no longer dodged first as he had before. Instead, he took the initiative, stepping forward as the long staff in his hand traced a smooth arc through the air. It lashed at the spear tip like lightning, borrowing force to strike with force and sharply knocking the spearhead off course.

He evaded Li Yuan's savage strike.

Screech! Li Yuan seemed to have anticipated it. The instant the spear shaft rebounded from the force, he followed the momentum, using his waist as the core as he twisted violently. The spear shaft spun a full hundred and eighty degrees, chopping fiercely at Xu Bo like an axe blade.

This time, they were even closer, and their burst speed was even faster.

"Haha!" Teacher Xu Bo suddenly laughed. As though he had foreseen it, he flashed backward and avoided Li Yuan's savage chop.

"He could avoid even that?" Li Yuan was slightly startled. Teacher Xu's reaction speed was simply too fast.

Before he could think further.

Whoosh! A blurred staff shadow had already seized the opening left by the great spear's missed sweep and smashed down viciously.

"Retreat!" Li Yuan immediately shifted his footwork and withdrew rapidly, sweeping his spear across to try to block the staff.

Bang! The weapons collided.

Yet Li Yuan did not feel the impact of power from the opponent's long staff. It was as if his spear had been stuck fast by that staff.

It felt awful.

Whoosh!

Xu Bo suddenly stepped forward again, closing the distance with Li Yuan once more. The long staff in his hand changed direction and jabbed toward him, swift and vicious.

Whoosh! Li Yuan was forced to retreat and evade. A spear was a long weapon; only by opening up space could it unleash sufficient power.

What shocked Li Yuan was that his footwork was clearly fine, yet he simply could not pull away. Teacher Xu Bo's long staff always smashed in at precisely the right moment, forcing him again and again to raise his spear to block before he could fully exert its power.

That long staff was savage at times and gentle at others, ever-changing and unpredictable.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Their weapons collided like lightning more than ten times, and Li Yuan had already retreated to the edge of the silver floor.

Boom! Another staff shadow swept across. Li Yuan felt a faint pain in his chest, and his entire body involuntarily staggered backward.

He only stopped after retreating several steps.

With full-body armor, and with Teacher Xu Bo not unleashing much force, a single blow from a training staff could not cause Li Yuan much injury.

"I lost." Li Yuan raised his great spear and said helplessly, "Teacher Xu, I had such a huge advantage in speed and strength, yet I still couldn't even withstand twenty moves from you."

It could only mean that there was a vast gap between their cold-weapon skills.

All around them, silence had fallen.

Every student stared wide-eyed at Li Yuan and Teacher Xu Bo.

Their exchange had been brief, yet incredibly intense, like a genuine battle. It was on an entirely different level from the skill tests they had undergone earlier.

"You already withstood more than ten of my moves." At Li Yuan's words, a rare smile appeared on Teacher Xu Bo's cold face. "Your spear technique has improved by a great deal since last semester's final exam. I had to go all out to defeat you."

Go all out?

Li Yuan sighed inwardly. This was merely Teacher Xu's full strength with Level 5 physical attributes.

If they had unleashed equal strength and speed, he likely would not have been able to withstand even three moves.

That was the difference in skill level.

During last semester's final exam, both my spear technique and footwork were at 99% of the Second Stage. I only broke through after the exams. Li Yuan thought. By that estimate, Teacher Xu's skill realm is at least at the Fourth Stage.

Without other points of reference, Li Yuan did not know very clearly what the specific differences were between the First, Second, and Third Stages on the panel.

But he could vaguely judge that among his classmates, only a very small handful, such as Wan Xiao, had reached the Second Stage in cold-weapon skills.

At the same time, Li Yuan became certain of one thing.

If his spear technique or footwork improved, it would definitely be reflected in the panel data.

Ding!

On the screen at the back of the classroom, Li Yuan's Martial Arts Technique score had appeared—"365 points."

"So high?"

"Over 360 points." Zhou Qi's eyes lit up.

"That's college entrance exam difficulty. They've only just entered their senior year, yet Li Yuan's Martial Arts Technique score has risen so much since last semester?"

"A score like that in a single category would probably put him among the very best in the city."

"By the time of the college entrance exam, Li Yuan might even compete for the city's top score in Martial Arts Technique."

"Li Yuan will definitely get into a Martial Arts University."

"If only my spear technique were as good as Li Yuan's..."

"Who's got yellow piss? Come splash him awake."

The students were both shocked and envious as they whispered among themselves.

If Li Yuan had only scored 320 or 330 points, these students might have been jealous of him, because the gap between them would not have been so absurd.

But when the gap was too great, most people could only admire him.

Most people had some self-awareness. When someone was clearly not even on the same level as them, why bother being jealous?

Besides, Martial Arts Technique was different from physical attributes.

If one's family circumstances were excellent, allowing them to hire dedicated dietitians and physical therapists, formulate specialized training plans, and if they themselves awakened Martial Arts Spirituality... then there was hope of raising one's physical attributes to Level 7 or even higher during senior year.

But improvement in Martial Arts Technique could not be bought by simply throwing money at it.

By the time Li Yuan's assessment ended, it was already five thirty in the afternoon.

"Alright."

"Judging from today's testing, after entering senior year, most of you have worked hard." Teacher Xu Bo's voice had returned to its coldness. "But some of you have actually regressed."

"You are already senior-year students. The college entrance exam may not determine the fate of your lives, but it is at least a major opportunity in life... I'll come supervise your martial arts training again the afternoon after tomorrow. Class dismissed." Teacher Xu Bo turned and left.

Then another remark drifted over: "Li Yuan, Wan Xiao, you two, come to my office."

The many students' feet were already aching from training, and their bodies were drenched in sweat. At his words, they immediately dispersed.

Many of the boys gulped down water while calling for each other to head to the cafeteria and grab seats.

Some of the girls discussed going to the restroom first.

"Brother Yuan, Yan Zhou and I will head to the cafeteria first and save you a seat! We'll grab you a nutrition meal too," Zhou Qi called out repeatedly.

"Old Zhou, Brother Yuan needs two meals." The sturdy boy beside him named Yan Zhou laughed, then called to Li Yuan, "Brother Yuan, leave the food to us. Hurry to the office."

"Thanks. I'll transfer you the money later," Li Yuan said with a smile.

"No need. The last few times I had you bring me breakfast, I never paid you. Consider tonight's dinner repayment," Yan Zhou said with a grin.

Li Yuan smiled.

Besides Zhou Qi, he also had several other classmates in the class with whom he was quite close.

"Li Yuan, let's go." The burly Wan Xiao called to Li Yuan. "What does Xu Ban want with us?"

"He's probably calling you in to transfer you into the Elite Class." Li Yuan smiled.

As for why he had called Li Yuan as well? Li Yuan had his suspicions, but he could not yet confirm them.